Afflicted
by Luminous Circus
Summary: OC Haruka suffers because of Sasori - a man who feels no remorse. Sasori x OC
1. Mission

Mission

"You cannot be serious!" Haruka shouted angrily.  
"I know this seems unreasonable," the Kazekage replied calmly, "but there is no one of a higher rank currently available. This responsibility therefore falls to you."  
"What about you? You do realise that I'll be killed?"  
"It is my responsibility to protect the village. I cannot simply let this incident pass."  
"So, you've already given up?" She rolled her eyes. "You don't want him stopped, do you? You just want to see what clever tricks he's got up his sleeve."  
"It is your duty as a shinobi of the village to follow orders." The Kazekage was losing his patience now. "Follow him as far as you can. See where he is headed and I will send reinforcements as soon as they become available. Go!"  
Then, knowing she had no choice, Haruka left the Kazekage's office and pursued her target – Akasuna no Sasori.

She could travel much faster than him since she didn't need to remain hidden from any passersby so caught up to him quickly on the outskirts of Suna. This did, however, mean that he was completely aware of being followed. Finally, he turned around to face her. Stood before him was a girl he estimated to be about fifteen with tanned, exotic looking skin and shoulder length white hair. Intricate braids circled her head and framed the village symbol on her headband.  
"Is this who they send?" he questioned with a casual sigh. "I had no idea they thought so little of me."  
"Well, I'm not thrilled with this arrangement either," she grumbled, reaching to her weapon pouch.  
A thin smile played on his lips. "Oh? Well I'll play with you for a while. If you were to simply let me leave, you would be betraying the village too."

Despite her regular arguments with the Kazekage, it was nothing she would leave the village for. She was too young to understand or care about politics, she had never been in trouble with any of the authorities, she was not especially rebellious, so even though she often disagreed with him, it would never influence her to leave the village. She wondered what kind of person you had to be to desert and looked at the red-head in front of her. She frowned. Evil?  
She didn't move, reluctant to start a fight with the notoriously skilful puppeteer. She doubted she could even hold him off until reinforcements arrived. That would be at least half an hour.  
"Won't you fight me?" her opponent asked lightly with the same tone one might ask a lady to dance.

She suddenly snapped, throwing handfuls of kunai at him. Disappearing in an explosion of thick, purple smoke, he evaded them easily.  
"I'll have to hold my breath," she thought, cursing him. The lack of oxygen quickly made her dizzy but she managed to quickly make a clone and hide herself under the sand.  
Before the smoke cleared, he managed to trap her with thin wires, restraining her movements and pulling tight so she bled. He sighed. This battle couldn't drag. It was wasting his time and he knew the village would send more skilful reinforcements soon. He had to end it quickly, but killing a girl with this little skill was pointless. He would prove his ability to the village in a different way - a way that would make them fear him.

Her chakra control was better than expected and the clone continued to resist. Concentrating on the clone, he failed to locate his real target and released the wires in shock as he was suddenly kicked from below. How had he fallen for such a cheap trick? As he fell, he saw her forming hand seals for another attack. Before her attack could be revealed, he had already summoned a slightly disfigured puppet. Its mouth opened and released a needle which pierced the skin at the base of her neck. The effect was immediate - she suddenly stopped moving, stared straight forward, wide eyed and within seconds, collapsed.

"I can see you have questions," Sasori drawled.  
"Ah," she replied, finding herself unable to speak.  
"This is a very effective paralysis drug." Sensing her shock, he continued. "Don't worry. Its effects are temporary. Now…"  
She lay uncomfortably on the ground as he knelt beside her and opened a leather pouch. Inside she could see vials in a whole spectrum of colours.  
"The problem is this," he began, holding up an amber liquid to the light before placing it back in the pouch. "My grandmother, Chiyo, will be able to make antidotes from any sample in your blood. You see? I'd be giving away my secrets if I used my most dangerous poisons on you."  
She longed for her movement back so she could punch him. Couldn't he just get on with torturing her?  
"You don't mind me testing something, do you?"  
An angry noise escaped her clenched teeth.  
"Impatient? I'm not a man who likes to be kept waiting myself."  
Then, he injected the dark, inky contents of a vial into her upper arm and taking a kunai from her pouch, slashed across her shoulder, tearing her clothing.  
"Now, before I go," he murmured and began looking through her pockets. She made sounds of protest, thinking he would rob her. When he produced her ID card, she was surprised. "I'm no petty thief," he said, disgusted. "Thank you, Haruka. I expect someone will be here to fetch you shortly. I'd recommend closing your eyes now so the drug doesn't force them open. If the wind rises anymore, you'll get sand in them."  
With that, he rose from his kneeling position, turned on his heel and with a swish of his robes, was gone. Haruka was left lying in the sand, paralysed and with torn clothing, with no idea of the real damage caused.

* * *

This is the first chapter of my new (and first ever) series devoted to the lovely Akasuna no Sasori (: This is just a little intro, a bit of backgroud etc.

Hope you enjoy it - and let me know what you think so far! ^^ Otherwise I'll be disheartened and never update. True story.  
- Lu Ci.


	2. Paralysis

Paralysis

"Is she making any progress?" a worried woman with long silver hair asked as a nurse swept past. When she didn't receive an answer, she fell to the ground sobbing. She knew she was falling apart. She needed her daughter. Her daughter was her only strength.  
"I know this is a difficult time for you," a voice began softly. She looked up to see who was speaking.  
"Lord Kazekage!" She pressed her head to the floor again in respect and humiliation.  
"The village needs you to be strong now and join its teams. I have sent for an expert to care for Haruka."  
The woman bowed her head once more. She couldn't stand up to the Kazekage – especially since her daughter's treatment depended on him. There was no way she could raise the funds to pay herself. She whispered a short prayer for her daughter's swift recovery and quickly left her side.

Shortly after her departure, another woman arrived. She was elderly and dressed in the traditional robes of Suna. The Kazekage acknowledged her, bowing his head.  
"You came."  
"Of course! I am always willing to see the work of my grandson!"  
"Do whatever you can," he said and directed into the room where the girl lay, motionless.

Chiyo did not hesitate and immediately took a blood sample. Apart from her obviously restricted movement, which she could tell she was recovering from, and a shallow wound in her right shoulder, the girl looked fine – and that could be not mistake of Sasori's.  
"You look worried, Chiyo," Haruka said slowly, her speech still slightly impaired.  
"Are you in pain?"  
"No."  
"Apart from the paralysis, is anything different?"  
"No."  
"What about that cut? Nothing unusual?"  
"No."  
Chiyo sighed.  
"Take off your shirt," she ordered.  
The girl obeyed straight away but struggled untying the knot which secured it around her. Once it had been removed, Chiyo looked at the cut more closely.  
"How was this inflicted?" she asked.  
"He took a kunai from my pouch. It was definitely my own weapon. He already had me paralysed and had injected me with something."  
The old woman looked puzzled. The poison was not causing any pain. The cut was an ordinary cut. The wound was not deep; it was far from fatal. Since she was paralysed, he could have easily given her a critical injury. Or even killed her. "Why hadn't he?" she pondered as she disinfected and dressed it. Why would he use such a stealthy poison in a way where she could clearly see?

"You didn't acquire any other injuries?" Chiyo checked.  
Haruka shook her head. "What could it be?"  
"I'll analyse the sample. This poison must affect one of your internal systems. Circulation or chakra. Maybe nerves. Since you cannot feel any pain, it's difficult to detect."  
"Would it be better if it hurt?"  
Chiyo smiled wryly. "Probably. In any case, Sasori has full confidence in this poison. We must be very careful. I'd like you to remain here for the time being so you can be monitored while I identify the poison."  
"Thank you."  
"Get some rest, Haruka," and with that, the woman left.

Once she was alone, Haruka flopped back on the bed with a deep sigh. It felt pointless to be in hospital - she was still perfectly capable of doing missions - well, as soon as she regained the ability to move. Even if they were only baby missions for now she could understand… But she was stuck there where she could be studied and observed. So they could gain knowledge about the enemy. Even when she regained the ability to move, she wouldn't be released. She still wouldn't be free. She might as well still be paralysed…

This whole thing was unfair. The Kazekage probably didn't even feel guilty because she wasn't obviously injured. Chiyo was worried though, she could tell. As she remembered Sasori's smug voice she realised that sooner or later she would react to the poison. "_You don't mind me testing something, do you?_" Did he even know what the effects would be? She could picture his smirk growing wider as he discovered the results. She shuddered and crawled under the thin bed sheets.

What kind of person would you have to be to harm someone who had once been your ally? True, she had never known him and they'd never met until their short battle – it was nothing personal, but they were both Shinobi of Suna. That meant something to her and she couldn't help feeling betrayed. She didn't get along with everyone, sure, and now she wasn't on the best of terms with the Kazekage himself either, but she was certain she couldn't turn against her own people. Again, she found herself wondering why he had deserted them. If he hadn't left, she might have aspired to be on his squad someday – the most elite in the whole of Suna… She rolled over to face the window. The room must have been near the top of the hospital; from here she could see over the walls of the village into the desert beyond. And somewhere out there, Akasuna no Sasori continued on his journey. What was there outside the village anyway? What was there to achieve out there? What was there for him?

She couldn't think why she had suddenly become so intrigued by him. Maybe it was because she still couldn't see death on the horizon – something she had thought inevitable on her way to fight him. She had been certain he would be her killer. Of course, there was still a chance she would die, but with Chiyo working on an antidote a little of her confidence was restored. She guessed that she'd be seeing a lot of the old woman as long she was hospitalised. Maybe she could ask her about Sasori? Maybe she could figure him out?

She sighed again. The paralysis drug was wearing off and she wiggled her fingers and toes experimentally as warmth rushed back to them. By the next day she'd probably be able to walk. But where would be allowed to go? She would still be confined to her room. When was Chiyo coming back? And where was Sasori going to…?

* * *

The pace here was a little slow, I think, but I wanted to save the results for later. I'm not really sure if this has many readers at all, but for some reason I was suddenly inspired to get started on this again. Anyway. Who knows, maybe I'll get round to updating more often.


End file.
